Original title kick I am on, yes? No internet for two weeks, thought constipation, you know how it is.
So, The Weekend Before the Weekend We Just Had® was a lovely weekend, perhaps just as lovely as The Weekend We Just Had. I watched a pug; I went to a fashion show; I ate some quiche. Surprise--I took some pictures for the Blog World at Large >>
No captions this time. See TWBTWWJH® Cliff Note summation below:
1. Friday night of TWBTWWJH®, I went to a fashion show produced by Gaspard Yurkievich, the designer my (American) friend Alex interns for. It featured the collections of several new talented designers and was held at the Palais Brongniart Place de La Bourse. It was a nighttime fashion show and afterwards...open bar! Normally I am intimidated by the bluster and stiletto-stomping confidence of those who work in fashion, but the open bar helped enormously, in an enormous way. The highlight of the evening though was absolutely seeing reality star Marlène, of Top Model 2005, walking in the show. This is, in fact, my second French reality T.V. star viewing--I once saw Patxi from Star Academy near Place Saint Michel and told him I was his biggest American fan in the most broken, crappy French you can imagine. I think I had lived here about five weeks. He gave me a high five.
2. My sister Aimee is back! (Those are her legs in the picture above!) Back from being a summer au pair for a very nice family in Avignon. And guess what? Now she’s going to be a teacher’s assistant at a lycée here in Paris, so we went to visit her school The Weekend Before the Weekend We Just Had®. This means, yes, she will be here the entire academic year. Of course, we here at La Coquette are very excited to have her in town and after intense contract negotiations, it seems that she will be providing us with a delightful amount of sisterly hahas and the occasional Chekhovian drama. You’re delighted already, I know.
3. My favorite line from the whole weekend of having the puglette® Napoleon® (all trademarks belonging to Gentry Lane), was when I went to eat falafel in front of Notre Dame and watch the fire eaters with (American) Alex. A large greyish dog wouldn’t stop barking at Napoleon and Alex said to the dog, “Oh hush, you come from a long line of mutts and Napoleon here comes from a long line of...panties.”
"bluster and stiletto-stomping confidence of those who work in fashion"
...this is why I am so addicted. Who THINKS of such things to say?? :)
Posted by: la.dauphine | 15 September 2005 at 04:24 PM
Dauphine, Gaw!
(Hey, I just realized that I called the family my sister worked for "very nice" with utter lack of consciousness to the entry I wrote last night.) They totally were, though.
Posted by: Coquette | 15 September 2005 at 04:32 PM
PATXI!!!
I bumped into him at Bofinger at Bastille. Our table was trashed on champagne and oysters, and I screamed at him. He looked so sad with two boring skanks. I have a little autograph from him, as befits his size. Hahahaha!!!!
Posted by: nardac | 15 September 2005 at 04:47 PM
I need to show Emma the Pug (TM)this picture - she needs a french pen pal!
Posted by: Beth | 15 September 2005 at 05:19 PM
Hi coquette... I'm from italy and -donnowhy - I'm gradually becoming addicted to your lines... maybe paris? maybe emma? : )
Posted by: sonic | 15 September 2005 at 06:06 PM
I. Want. That. Dog.
At the very least, can you make sure it's around when I visit in, sigh, six months?
Posted by: Gloria | 15 September 2005 at 07:01 PM
"I once saw Patchi from Star Academy"
I thought to myself, "Seriously? The French are dorky enough to have a reality TV show based on some sort of starship/astronaut academy?"
And then I surmised what "Star" probably refers to and realized that it is I, in fact, who is the dork.
By the way, you'll be hearing from my lawyers soon. I hold the trademark to "That Weekend Not Too Long Ago, You Know The One", and your new trademark is feeling a little too similar for comfort.
Posted by: Chester | 15 September 2005 at 07:29 PM
Dogs that are cute know that they're cute - and this one is certainly no exception.
Is there available space for Aimee in your building? It would be funny to have the family all in one place.
Posted by: DDJ | 15 September 2005 at 08:09 PM
i love, love, love the black bag you are carrying in one of your photos. can you tell me who makes it?
Posted by: catherine | 15 September 2005 at 08:47 PM
I love that dog!
My husband couldn't believe my excited screams came from a photo of a pug. Then he said.. ahhh now I now... He's Parisian eh?
Men!
Posted by: Nes | 16 September 2005 at 01:13 AM
Coquette--I'm curious about something, how hard is it to work abroad? I can't remember if I read about whether or not you have a French passport, your dad was a Fr citizen, no?
Posted by: Jillian | 16 September 2005 at 03:02 AM
Not too much of a dog fan but definitely jealous for the fashion show...
Posted by: Miss P | 16 September 2005 at 03:40 AM
Coquette- I spent six mois living in Avignon! Did your sister love it? I did.
Will she be living w/ you during her year in Paris?
Posted by: J | 16 September 2005 at 05:40 AM
I'm going to work as an English assistant in a high school too. I'm supposed to work with the students on conversation and grammar and lead discussions on American politics. No, really. That plus my regular travail with the study abroad students equals one interesting year (or more) in Lyon.
Gina
ps- would you come to Lyon and go shopping with me? I still have a great fear of looking terribly American every single time I step out of my apartment building.
Posted by: Gina | 16 September 2005 at 10:45 AM
I want Napoleon.
Posted by: lee | 16 September 2005 at 12:21 PM
helllllooooo...
i have been a long time stalker (the nice kind) who is finally typing out her 'coming out' comment. it's funny that you should mention seeing marlene because when i first spotted her on the show, i don't know why but she reminded me of you. i even mentioned it to my flat mates but they did not seem to understand why i would go around snooping into other people's lives on the internet and why people i see on tv seem to remind me so much of people i don't really know but i do at the same time. i told them to think of you as a celebrity. then they were all like "ah d'accord, vu comme ca .......mmouais...." *insert french shrug with roll of eyes*
they're just not internet savvy!
Posted by: aru | 16 September 2005 at 01:41 PM
i ran into Patxi on line 7 (he got off at Sully Morland). I was going to show him that I had his song à l'anglaise on my iPod, but I chickened out
Posted by: Lauren | 16 September 2005 at 03:40 PM
I love the models working their frocks juxtaposed with the pugster working his little blue collar...
I can't say his name though because my first dog was named Napoleon, and he finally had to be put down this summer. Your pugman is killer cute but there's only one Napoleon...
However, now I have a Baxter who is complaining because I've never taken him to the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, though I promised him I would... let me know if you ever want to do a puppy play date!
Posted by: maitresse | 16 September 2005 at 04:41 PM
But what of Napoleon Joseph and Napoleon III?
Posted by: Chester | 16 September 2005 at 07:24 PM
Nardac, you know Patxi but ignore Eric Dahan's existence ??? that is funny.... :D
La Coquette, this picture is great and because I'm a tad stupid, I have nothing smart to say except that I had a good laught reading this...
Posted by: schuey | 17 September 2005 at 09:27 AM
Your post title sounds like a movie I would love to see! Definitely a romantic comedy.
Posted by: kassi | 17 September 2005 at 07:16 PM
I'm not a dog lover at all, but that dog is CUUUTE!!!! and the fashionable leash.... super adorable!
Posted by: Ale | 18 September 2005 at 02:26 AM
Still love the dog but especially love the quote about his lineage.
Posted by: Dagny | 18 September 2005 at 05:59 PM
Catherine, It's a small french brand called Comptoir des Cotonniers--I think they have a website?? But the bag is from a few seasons back.
Aru, I cannot believe I remind you of Marlene; you are lying, lying lying, but god bless you. :)
Chester, my lawyers were all ready to whomp your lawyers arses, but I like having you around, kid, so you're getting off easy. All "weekend" copywrites can officially belong to you, Chester.
Gina, I've never been to Lyon...
Posted by: Coquette | 19 September 2005 at 12:23 AM
The litigious outrage of my lawyers has cooled down.
But only because they hope, someday, to play with Napoleon.
Posted by: Chester | 20 September 2005 at 09:58 AM
Lyon- it's only 2 hours from Paris.
Au secours! This "if I wear a scarf everywhere people might not know I'm American" thing can only go on for so long.
Posted by: Gina | 20 September 2005 at 11:16 AM